Samples of your work can be the turning point in which you sneak up to the top spot on the list of candidates for the job you want. Just as you prepare your responses to possible interview questions, practice your timing to present your work samples. Actually showing the quality of your work validates your job knowledge, conveys an important message to the interviewer that you have confidence in your qualifications, and that you're prepared and motivated to demonstrate your skills.

Resume vs. Interview

Many candidates mistakenly believe their resume is what persuades an employer to make a hiring decision. It's a combination of interview skills, information gleaned through the interview and whether the candidate fits the workplace culture that goes into the hiring decision. In addition to bringing your A-game responses to the interview questions, you need something close to a gimmick, but not really a gimmick, to put yourself in a category above all the other candidates.

Tangible Advantage

Work samples are far from gimmicky; however, they can effectively bring to life the substance and quality of your past performance or your capabilities for future performance. If an interview is a show-and-tell exercise, providing work samples definitely "show" your expertise more than you might ever be able to explain through just answering interview questions. Even if you haven't been asked to bring samples of your work to the interview, put them in your portfolio anyway. At a minimum, you'll portray yourself as the candidate who is prepared for anything.

Work Samples

The kind of work samples you bring to your interview depend on your field and level of experience. If you're in academia, bring a list of your publications and even a scholarly journal or two containing your research. For other positions that require superior writing skills, bring along copies of your writing samples. Redact the real names of people in your samples. If you're an artist or even an architect, bring your samples to illustrate your talent. Artists should have an actual hard copy portfolio so interviewers can get the tactile element of reviewing your work.

College Work

If you're a recent graduate or someone who went back to school to pursue another field, you might not have the real-world experience some employers want to see. Use your college work to substantiate your knowledge or your craft, and explain any hands-on projects in which you were involved during school. For example, if you're a second-year law student interviewing for a summer clerk position with a law firm, you will undoubtedly be asked if you participated on the law review or any mock trials. Gather copies of your legal writing to show you understand legal principles and practical applications of the law.

Timing

A natural segue to bring out your samples is when you get into the details of your job knowledge. For example, if you're an employee relations specialist and the interview turns to best practices for constructing a position statement that articulates an employment decision, offer a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to write a persuasive argument on behalf of the employer. If you're interviewing for a summer clerk position at a law firm with a litigation practice group, bring copies of your law school assignments, briefs you've written for mock trials and evidence of your ability to handle cases from beginning to end. Offer these samples when the managing partner asks what practice areas interest you. You could say, "I've had my heart set on becoming a trial attorney. Throughout my first two years of law school, I've taken just about every opportunity to participate on assignments that involve arguing case law and writing persuasive legal briefs. In fact, I brought several with me today for your review."

Logistics

Leave copies of your work samples with the interviewer. Use a "sample" watermark on documents you store on a USB flash drive so you don't compromise patents or copyrights. If you're providing hard copies, take extra copies with you to the interview in case you meet other decision makers with the organization. For artists, take your actual portfolio, but have a USB flash drive and URL to your online portfolio to share with the interviewer.

About the Author

Ruth Mayhew began writing in 1985. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry" and "Human Resources Managers Appraisal Schemes." Mayhew earned senior professional human resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.